


The Little MerDick

by Myoneloveismusic



Series: The Mer Verse [2]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU
Genre: M/M, Pirate!Jason, mermaid au, mermaid!Tim, mermaid!Wally, mermaid!dick, of todds and tails offshoot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-15
Updated: 2018-10-04
Packaged: 2019-06-27 16:17:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 7,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15688971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Myoneloveismusic/pseuds/Myoneloveismusic
Summary: Dick loved the ocean. He loved twisting and twirling and flipping through the water. And he especially loved whenever he met new Mers. One day while he was out in the ocean, he caught sight of another mermaid and a human. Thinking that the mermaid was being held against its will and was going to be eaten, Dick made an effort to save him, only to learn that Tim wasn't in danger and was staying with Jason willingly. Dick had a lot to learn about humans and these two, but the sight of them together made something ache in his chest. Something with red hair and green eyes.~~Originally posted as part of my Write 365 series on Tumblr





	1. Chapter 1

Dick spotted the base of an island under the water as he spun and twirled under the waves, the sunlight that broke through the surface, glinted of his blue scales, causing a reverse streak of sunlight in the water. 

He slowed to a stop, drifting gently along the current. He kicked his tail toward the surface and stuck his head above water, scanning the beach of the island. 

He blinked when he saw a man–a human man–walking across the sand. He had a Mer cradled in his arms, his red fins grazing the sand every now and then. The man laughed and the Mer had his arms wrapped around his shoulders as he carried him to the water. 

He waded out until the water was deep enough and released the Mer who floated easily. 

“I’ve gotta go grab my stuff and then I can meet you back here,” he said. 

“Sure, Jay,” the Mer said, watching him go. 

As soon as the man disappeared, Dick sank under the water. He darted forward and grabbed the tail of the Mer that was lazily kicking his tail. 

Dick yanked down on the end of the tail, pulling him under into the deeper water. 

“What the hell?” he screeched, kicking wildly to try and break free. 

“Calm down, I’m trying to save you,” Dick hissed. 

The Mer stilled, staring at him. “What are you talking about?” 

Dick carefully unwrapped his fingers now that it didn’t look like he was going to dart away. “I’m here to save you from the human.” 

“You don’t need to save me from him.” 

“But he’s going to eat you!” Dick screeched. 

The Mer stared at him, blinking. “What the fuck are you talking about?” 

“Humans…eat…Mers…” Dick said slowly. 

Tim chuckled. “Believe me, he’s not going to eat me. Jason’s safe.” 

“Jason?” Dick asked, cocking his head to the side. 

“Yeah. His name’s Jason and I’m Tim.” He glanced behind him and saw Jason’s legs in the water. Tim grinned and heard Jason’s muffled call to him. 

Before Dick could stop him he darted to the surface, popping up out of the water. 

“Over here!” he called. 

“What are you doing all the way out there?” he asked, wading closer. 

“Met a friend,” he said. 

“A friend? Did Bart and Kon come back?” he asked. 

“Nope,” he said as Dick stuck his head out of the water next to him. 

“You’re not a Mer-cannibal are you?” he shouted towards Jason. 

“A what?” he asked. 

“He thinks you’re going to eat me,” Tim supplied. 

Jason chuckled and smirked. “I wouldn’t mind eating you in a different kind of way.” 

Dick looked at Tim when he sighed and watched his cheeks turn a bright red. 

“How long have you been here anyway?” Dick asked, drifting closer now that it seemed there was no immediate danger of being eaten by the human. 

“A couple months, I think?” Jason said. “Long enough to have built a shelter anyway,” he said with a shrug. “We were just about to do some fishing if you wanted to help out. I’ll pay you by cooking.” 

Tim swam closer to Jason, hugging him from behind. “His cooking is the best.” 

“Cooking?” Dick asked. 

“We have a lot to teach him,” Tim said. 

Jason grinned and pressed a kiss to Tim’s cheek. “Better get teaching.”


	2. Chapter 2

Watching Tim and Jason work together was a strange experience for Dick. Everything he’d learned about humans had coded them as dangerous beings who were never to be trusted. He knew of so many ships that had cut through the waves and captured mermaids who were close to the surface. 

But Jason was different. The looks he gave Tim were…something he’d only really seen between mermaids who mated. 

Whenever they were close, the two of them were touching. Jason often kept a hand around Tim’s waist of on his shoulder, dropping kisses on the top of Tim’s head or pressing them to his cheeks. 

While they were fishing, Jason stuck to the shallows, using a handmade spear to try and catch the fish that came close. He didn’t have as much luck as Tim and Dick who went into the deeper parts of the water and caught several fish, passing them off to Jason who stuck them in a net made of woven grass. 

“Is that enough?” Tim asked, giving his last fish to Jason. 

Jason tossed the fish into the net and counted over what was inside. “Yeah, that’s plenty. Might even be more than enough. But I should get cooking so they don’t go bad.” 

“Are you going to be next to the pools?” Tim asked, floating closer. 

Dick hung back, watching this interaction. 

“Of course,” he chuckled. “Where else would I do my cooking?” 

“Just making sure,” Tim said. He raised his hands and Jason pulled him into his arms, lifting him from the water and against his chest. 

“I can come back for you next,” Jason said, turning to Dick. “I just need to carry Tim across the beach to the pools.” 

Dick shook his head. “No, that’s okay I can just swim around the island.” 

Jason frowned. “I can carry you across the beach it’s really no pro-” 

“Jay,” Tim said softly. He looked down at him and he shook his head. “If you swim around that side of the island,” he said, pointing. “You’ll come to the pools. You’ll probably make it there before us, but we’ll be there soon.” 

Dick nodded, already ducking under the water before Jason started wading out of the water. He was around the side of the island within minutes, passing small bits of coral and some fish that were still hanging around the island. 

He found the pools easily enough, popping up above the water as he surveyed the rocks surrounding the different pools of water. Dick frowned, bracing his arms against the rocks of the first pool. He pushed himself up, trying to drag himself up and over into the water. 

He winced as his tail dragged over the edge of the rocks. He practically rolled over into the pool with a large splash, taking a minute to regain his breath. He popped up out of the water again and saw how many more pools there were. 

“You made it!” 

Dick looked up and found Jason and Tim were closing the distance to him fast. 

“Uh, yeah,” he said. 

“You can come closer you know,” Tim said as Jason stepped down into the pool closest to the sand. He released Tim into the water before stepping out to start collecting wood to build a fire. 

“Yeah…” Dick sighed. He braced himself on the wall separating the next to pools and pushed himself up, starting a slow and laborious process. 

Jason had the fire going and was roasting several fish over the flames by the time he fell into Tim’s pool, breathing a little heavier than normal. 

“You okay?” Tim asked. 

“Yeah,” he nodded. “Yeah.” 

“First few fish are done,” Jason said, pulling a stick from over the flames. He passed it off to Tim who gave one of the fish to Dick. 

Dick stared at the blackened skin and balanced the warm food carefully in his hands. He watched Tim pull the skin from the fish out of the corner of his eye before he nibbled at the meat of it. 

Dick did the same, sniffing at the fish before he took a hesitant bite. He froze as the taste hit his tongue. 

“What did you do to this?” he blurted. 

Jason looked up and grinned. “I cooked it.” 

“Pretty good, huh?” Tim asked next to him. 

He nodded dumbly, taking another bite and happily wiggling his tail in the shallow water around him.


	3. Chapter 3

Dick furrowed his brow as the sounds of something scraping reached his ears. He opened his eyes and found Jason scraping the scales off a fish. A small fire was already going next to him and the sky still held traces of pink from the rising sun. 

He glanced over and found Tim sound asleep, head pillowed on his arms on the rock as his back rose with gentle breaths. 

“Morning.” 

Dick glanced up and found Jason smiling at him. “Morning,” he said. 

“You hungry?” 

Dick shrugged. “Not right now, but I wouldn’t mind eating more of your cooking.” 

Jason chuckled. “It’ll be a little bit before it’s ready and I’m sure the smells are going to wake Tim soon.” 

Dick’s eyes slid to the side and he watched other mer as he slept. “How long have you known each other?” 

Jason hummed. “A few months now, I think. It’s kind of hard to keep track of time out here and I don’t really feel I need to. But Tim saved me when I feel into the ocean and we’ve been living out here since.” 

“He saved you?” 

Jason nodded. “He saw me fall from my ship and rescued me when I would’ve drowned otherwise.” 

“But what about the people from your ship?” Dick asked. “Why didn’t they help you?” 

Jason shook his head. “The waves were bad and I wouldn’t have asked them to if I had ended up dead anyway. It wouldn’t have been worth it to lose a member of my crew over me. They can live without me.” 

“So they just left you for dead?” Dick asked, anger seeping into his tone. 

“They didn’t leave me for dead,” Jason continued calmly. “They came looking for me.” 

“Oh,” Dick said, anger dissipating. “Then why are you still here?” 

Jason smiled, gaze sliding over to Tim. “I couldn’t leave him. I love him.” 

Dick jolted, the water sloshing around him. It wasn’t so much because of Jason’s statement. He already knew they cared about each other, but it was the gentleness and care that filled Jason’s voice and his words. His heart clenched, suddenly longing for someone he’d left behind. 

Tim shifted next to him and Dick looked over to find Tim sitting up and rubbing his eyes. 

Jason pushed himself up from his seat and walked over. “Morning,” he said, cupping the side of Tim’s face to press a kiss to his lips. 

Tim smiled when he pulled back. “Morning,” he said softy. “Breakfast ready yet?” 

Jason chuckled. “Not yet, but soon.” 

As they continued to talk, Dick turned in the pool, gaze searching the horizon and the gentle crests of the waves that rolled close to the island. Dick wondered where he was. What he was doing. If he’d noticed his absence and then shook himself because of course he had. If he’d disappeared, Dick would be frantic and would search the oceans for him until he was back home. 

Dick swallowed, his heart squeezing painfully. 

“Dick? Dick!” 

“Huh?” he asked, whirling around. 

Tim and Jason were both watching him, Tim with a knowing smile on his face. 

“You want something to eat?” Tim asked, gesturing to the fire where a few fish were roasting. 

“Yeah, sure…” he said, drifting back over to the other side of the pool as red hair and green eyes lingered at the back of his mind.


	4. Chapter 4

Sunlight glinted off golden-yellow scales in the water. He twisted and turned, darting through the water at speeds that amazed even the fastest swimmers among the Mers. 

Wally looped and did a flip before righting his course again. He wasn’t even sure where he was going anymore. His settlement and village was miles and miles behind him. And he wasn’t going back anytime soon. 

Not when he was desperate to find the one person he was longing for. He needed his best friend back. There was an ache in his chest without him. He knew what his parents would say. They would tell him that he was in love and he was aching for his mate, but Wally couldn’t dare to think like that. 

Because Dick was everything to him, and because the universe liked to fuck him over sometimes, it would be just his luck that Dick wouldn’t feel the same way and he couldn’t lose him. No matter what. 

That was why he was desperately searching. He’d cross all the oceans to find him. He didn’t care if they didn’t even return to their settlement. As long as he was with Dick, that’s all that mattered. 

Wally sighed and slowed his pace. He rolled over onto his back and stared up at the sky above the water. The ripples of the waves distorted the clouds in the sky so they were even more shapeless than usual. He wondered if Dick was looking at the same clouds. 

He let himself drift, ears straining to hear through the ocean. He prayed he was getting closer and that after a few more miles he’d hear Dick’s laughter. He’d hear him cackle and now that everything was all right and they could be together again. 

Wally closed his eyes, taking a moment of reprieve. 

Something high and joyous tickled at the edge of his hearing. He froze and straightened, turning to where he thought the source of the sound was coming from. 

He squinted at the horizon and sighed. The sound was probably all in his head anyway. He was so desperate to see Dick that he was imagining his laugh. He’d heard tales of Mers who went crazy when they were separated from their mates for too long, even if he did believe Dick wouldn’t consider him to be a potential mate.

This was just further proof that he wasn’t ever going to get what he wanted. 

Wally kicked his tail lazily, propelling forward as he lost himself in his thoughts. The sound came again, a fraction louder this time and Wally froze, breathes coming faster. 

He kicked wildly, building back up to his usual speed as he slipped through the water, all of his showy antics from earlier disappearing in his need to close the distance. 

“Please, please, please,” Wally chanted under his breath. It had to be him. It had to be. 

He didn’t know how much distance he was covering. He didn’t care. He ignored the strain on his fins and his tail from forcing himself to go so fast for so long, but if there was a chance that Dick could be here, he would do whatever he needed to do. 

He glanced down at the ocean below and saw the sand and rock rising. It was still far below him, but it meant he was approaching an island. 

He slowed, fighting to catch his breath and trying to figure out if Dick would really be at an island or not. 

And then he decided he didn’t care. He kicked again, darting through the water, feeling slow, feeling so _slow_. 

He saw a glint of red in the distance and frowned. Dick’s tail was blue, not red. The only explanation would be that he found a different Mer who was hanging around this island. But a new Mer could mean new information about Dick. 

He’d beg if he had to as long as it led him closer to Dick. 

The red disappeared around the side of the island, darting out of sight. Wally pushed himself faster. He couldn’t let him get away. 

He jerked to the side, shooting around the side of the island, eyes scanning the ocean before his heart practically stopped. And then started beating double-time. 

Dick was more beautiful than he remembered. His smile was wide and bright, blue eyes sparkling. His tail was long and elegant, scales shining and such a brilliant blue that it rivaled even the most pure water in the world. His skin was dark and golden from the amount of time he spent lazing on rocks and soaking up the sun’s rays despite being a creature of the sea. 

Wally didn’t waste another minute. He kicked his leg and darted forward, barreling into Dick’s side the second he caught sight of Wally speeding through the water.


	5. Chapter 5

Dick laughed as he darted away from Tim and Jason. They weren’t really out collecting fish, more so getting the chance to stretch their fins while Jason swam lazily in the water and hung out near shore. 

Tim tried to convince Jason to come further out, but he’d hung back, letting them have some time to themselves. They’d resorted to playing little games before settling into tag, swimming and darting around the island. 

He was ahead of Tim, fighting to stay out of reach as they swam around the sides of the island. 

Something glinted in the water and Dick turned to look, finding a streak of golden yellow and the face of his best friend hurtling towards him. 

Dick froze, not bothering to move away as Wally barrelled into his side, wrapping his arms tightly around him. They tumbled and rolled in the water, the air leaving Dick’s lungs in a rush as he was squeezed tightly. 

“I found you! I can’t believe I found you!” Wally was muttering excitedly against his shoulder. 

“Dick are you okay?!” Tim asked, hovering nearby. 

“Wally?” Dick asked, finally managing to find his voice. “Where did you come from?” 

Wally pulled back, grasping Dick’s shoulders as he peered into his eyes. “I was looking everywhere for you. You disappeared and I was worried something had happened to you.” 

Dick felt himself flush and cleared his throat. “I’m okay, I just kind of…I dunno, kept swimming and found myself here,” he said, gesturing to the island. 

“Tim?” 

They both turned at the muffled voice coming from above water. Tim popped up and broke the surface and Dick saw Jason’s legs standing on the sand embankment further away. 

“Come on,” he said, and pulled Wally above water. 

“Everything’s fine,” Tim explained. “We just have a new guest.” 

Wally cocked his head. “A human?” he asked. He gasped and wrapped his arms around Dick, making to pull him away. “We can’t let him eat us-”

He froze when Dick started laughing, shaking in his arms. 

“What?” he asked, unable to stop the smile that pulled at his lips. 

“He’s not going to eat us. Jason’s friendly.” 

“What is it with all of you Mers thinking humans are going to kill every Mer they run into?” Jason muttered, placing his hands on his hips. 

Wally released his tight hold on Dick, but left his arm draped around Dick’s waist, the action made Dick’s chest warm. He’d forgotten how much he liked being around Wally. 

“This is Jason,” Tim said, swimming over to his side. “And I’m Tim. We live on this island.” 

Wally watched as Jason’s arm draped around his shoulders and Tim wrapped an arm around his waist. 

“Are you two mates?” he blurted. 

Dick snorted next to him. 

Tim smiled and looked up at Jason, smile fond. “Yeah, we are. We’ve been out here a while.” 

“Oh,” Wally said, not really expecting that kind of answer. 

“I guess you’re here to take Dick back to wherever the two of you live,” Jason continued. “But if you want to hang around a bit, I can cook lunch.” 

“Cook?” Wally asked, tilting his head to the side. 

“It’s the best thing ever,” Dick said excitedly, capturing Wally’s attention. His eyes sparkled and he smiled wide. “It makes food so much better and you stick fish over a fire, it’s great.” 

“Cool!” Wally said, catching onto Dick’s enthusiasm. “When can I try it?” 

Jason chuckled. “I guess that’s my cue to start gathering firewood. Don’t let them get into too much trouble,” he said to Tim, pressing a kiss to his forehead. 

“Let me show you around the island,” Dick said, catching Wally’s hand. “There’s a lot of cool places around here.” 

Wally ducked under the surface, pulling Dick with him. “Lead the way!”


	6. Chapter 6

Dick and Wally swam circles around each other as they moved around the island, Dick pointing out all the small nooks and crannies he’d run into during the few days he’d been around the island. 

“And over here are the pools that lead up to the beach. Tim and I sleep in the pools while Jason sleeps on the beach nearby. It keeps us safe from predators and…” he trailed off when he turned to look at Wally and found him staring at him. He cleared his throat, feeling all the blood rush to his face. “What is it?” he asked. 

They slowed to a stop and Wally drifted closer. Dick blinked, unsure of what his friend was doing. Wally wrapped his arms around his shoulders and pulled him into a tight hug. 

“I’m so glad you’re okay,” he murmured. 

Dick huffed a laugh and wrapped his arms around Wally’s waist, holding him close. “I missed you, Wally.” 

Wally’s grip tightened. “I missed you too, Dick.” 

They pulled apart and Dick was hyper-aware of where Wally’s hands were resting on his shoulder and the side of his neck. Desire curled in his stomach and his lips parted on a breath, waiting for Wally to do something. 

Dick reached up and curled his hand around one of Wally’s wrists, watching as his eyes flickered down at the touch. 

“Dick! Wally!” 

They flinched back, pulling apart as they turned and looked at Tim who was swimming towards them. He smiled as he approached. 

“Lunch is going to be ready soon if you two are hungry,” he explained, slowing as he came closer. “Jason’s waiting on the beach to carry us all to the pools.” 

“Sure,” Dick said. “Come on, Wally.” 

Wally caught his hand before he could swim off and Dick looked down at their joined hands, feeling both surprised and pleased. He cleared his throat and used his hold to tug Wally along, bringing him back around the side of the island where Jason was waiting. 

He already had Tim in his arms when they got there and was wading out of the water. 

“Are you sure it’s safe to let him carry us?” Wally asked, narrowing his eyes at Tim and Jason as they made their way across the beach. Tim’s arms were wrapped around Jason’s shoulders as they chatted, Tim smiling and laughing at something Jason said. 

Dick chuckled. “Definitely. I made the mistake of trying to pull myself across the pools my first day here and it was the worst experience ever. My tail got pretty scratched up from being dragged over the rocks.” 

“Was it okay?” Wally asked, drifting closer. 

Dick nodded and smiled. “Yeah, it healed just fine, but I’m never going to do something like that again if I don’t have to.” 

Wally nodded. 

“Okay, who’s next?” 

They looked up to find Jason sloshing back through the water towards them. 

“Do you want to go or me?” Dick asked. 

“I guess I can go,” Wally said, drifting closer. 

Jason knelt and gathered him in his arms. He stood, water rushing off them both as Wally clung to his shoulders at the change in height. 

“Don’t drop me,” he hissed. 

Dick and Jason chuckled. 

“He’s not going to drop you,” Dick called after them as Jason waded up the beach. 

Wally stared over Jason’s shoulder at him as they walked away, not wanting to lose sight of him. Dick smiled at them until he couldn’t see them anymore and waited patiently for Jason to return. 

He didn’t have to wait long and eagerly clambered into Jason’s hold to be carried back across the beach. Wally waved at him when they rounded the corner and Dick could see his face was a little more red than normal and Tim had a pleased look on his face. 

“See? That wasn’t so bad,” Dick said when he was lowered into the pool and Jason released his grip on him. 

“I’m never doing that again,” Wally said, darting behind him to wrap his arms around his shoulders. 

Dick laughed and fought to look over his shoulder at him and offer a smile. “Well you’re going to have to do it at least one more time if you want to be able to get home.” 

Wally’s grip tightened on his shoulders and Dick leaned back against him. 

“Who’s hungry?” Jason asked, pulling two sticks from the fire that had fish roasting on them. 

“I’m always hungry,” Wally grumbled, making all of them laugh.


	7. Chapter 7

“Woah this is amazing!” Wally exclaimed, shoving another bite of fish into his mouth. 

Dick nibbled his own piece as he propped his cheek against his fist and watched him eat. He’d never met a bigger dork in his life and it never ceased to amaze him just how much he loved Wally’s little quirks. 

He leaned forward to grab another piece when he caught sight of Tim. He had an eyebrow raised and a smirk pulled at his lips. Jason’s arm was around his shoulders where they were sitting on the rocks surrounding the pool while Dick and Wally floated in the water. 

Dick cleared his throat and looked away, focusing on swiping another bite of fish to chew on. 

“Dick, this is so cool,” Wally said, turning to him with bright eyes. 

Dick swallowed, the fish sticking in his throat on its way down. He coughed, trying to clear the obstruction. He pounded on his chest and winced as it hit his stomach. 

“You okay?” Wally asked, his earlier awe having been replaced by worry. 

“Fine,” he said, trying to smile through the lingering pain. “Just went down wrong, that’s all.” 

“Okay,” Wally said, looking unconvinced. 

“What were you saying?” Dick asked, trying to turn the conversation back to the original topic. 

“Oh yeah,” he continued, earlier enthusiasm returning quickly. “How have we never done this before? It’s amazing and makes the fish taste so much better!” 

Dick chuckled. “Maybe because we can’t exactly have fire underwater?”

“Oh,” Wally said, expression falling and Dick felt a pang at being the cause of it. His smile was back a second later. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. I didn’t really think of that. I can’t wait to tell everyone about this! They’re going to be so jealous when we tell them about this.” 

Wally froze fish halfway to his mouth before he turned to look at Dick. 

“You are coming back right?” he asked. 

Dick frowned. “What?” 

Wally gripped Dick’s shoulders, searching his eyes. “You’re coming back with me right? Because if you’re not coming back then I can’t go back either.” 

“Wally-” 

“We have to stay together, Dick,” he swore fervently. 

“I don’t think you two have to worry about being separated,” Tim interrupted calmly. 

Dick glanced at him. He was smiling and watching the two of them with interest as his tail moved lazily in the water. He felt himself flush and when he looked back at Wally he saw his cheeks were a bright red too. 

Wally pulled his hands away from Dick’s shoulders and focused on the piece of food that had successfully been squashed in his hand. 

“So,” Tim continued when they’d been silent too long. “Do either of you have prospective mates?” 

Dick and Wally choked, pounding their chests as they fought to get their food down. 

“What?” Dick asked, managing to recover first after almost choking for the second time that day. He glanced at Wally and found his face was almost as red as Tim’s tail. 

“Surely there’s someone from your settlement that’s caught your eye. I know Wally’s pining after a certain someone.” 

Dick felt his heart squeeze as Wally drifted away from him towards the other edge of the pool. The thought of one day being pulled apart made his heart break. He didn’t want anyone else. Wally was the only person who’d ever made an impact on his life and he never wanted to let him go. 

Every part of him went cold. He’d already left Wally once. Wally hadn’t left him, he’d left Wally. He might’ve screwed everything up. Even though Wally had come after him he’d still left him behind. 

“Tim you probably shouldn’t provoke them like this,” Jason murmured, tightening his hold around his waist. 

Tim chuckled. “It took a ship for us to realize what we wanted. For them it’s going to be a storm.” 

Dick didn’t give much thought to what Tim’s comment meant. He wanted nothing more than to sink to the lowest depths of the ocean and hide from the biggest screw up of his life. 

He’d left Wally behind and he had no idea what kind of pain that might’ve caused him. That was something he could never forgive himself for.


	8. Chapter 8

Dick swam around in circles as he waited for Jason to carry Wally back to the ocean. His tail flicked nervously in the water as he tried to figure out how to apologize or have the conversation that he knew they needed to have. 

He’d left. And he’d hurt Wally because of it even if that wasn’t what he’d intended to do. 

He heard a splash and glanced around, finding that Wally had been released into the water. He grinned and swam over to Dick, closing the distance quickly as Jason waded out of the waves to start cleaning up from lunch. 

“Hey,” Wally said. 

“Hey,” he responded. They floated a minute, tails kicking lazily as they stared at each other. Dick wondered if Wally remembered what Tim had said like he did. If it was burned into his mind like a scar of some awful crime he’d committed. He wondered if Wally wasn’t thinking about that at all, but was thinking about a pretty little mermaid he wanted to mate with back at their settlement instead. 

“Wally…” he started. 

Wally’s gaze snapped up to him, green eyes shining brightly in the water. 

“Feel like swimming around the island a few more times?” he asked, immediately chickening out. 

Wally blinked. “Oh,” he said. “Sure.” 

Dick kicked his tail, cutting through the water as he fought down the urge to punch himself in the face. A glint of yellow caught his eye and he glanced to the side, finding Wally had caught up with him easily. They swam in silence, following the gentle curve of the island before Dick finally worked up the courage to speak again. 

“Wally?” 

“Yeah?” he asked and Dick swallowed, wanting to wrap himself up in that voice and hide from his problems. He wanted to bury himself in it and ignore the rest of the world. 

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. 

“For what?” Wally asked. 

Dick slowed, losing the energy to move his tail until he was left drifting in the water. Wally hovered in front of him and Dick couldn’t bring himself to meet his gaze, worried what he’d find there. 

“I’m sorry for leaving. I didn’t even mean to leave really. I just kind of kept swimming and ended up here. I didn’t think about what it would mean to leave you behind or what that could do to you. Or me,” he said, voice picking up speed. “I know that I’d be devastated if you ever left me behind and I don’t know what I’d do without you. I couldn’t imagine…I _can’t_ imagine it.” 

“Hey, hey, hey,” Wally said, closing the space between them. His hands came up and framed Dick’s face, forcing their gazes together. Wally smiled, bright and beautiful, like everything else about him. “Why don’t you try and slow down, hm? Usually I’m the one going too fast.” 

“I’m just trying to keep up with you, Wally,” Dick murmured. 

Wally’s smile turned lopsided and fond and he tilted his head to the side. “Trying to keep up with me? I’m the one who had to come looking for you. I was worried you were gone.” 

Dick felt something sharp twist in his stomach. “Wally, I…” he started, searching Wally’s eyes. “I don’t-” 

He blinked when Wally’s lips pressed against his own. It was barely a second before he was kissing him back, melting against Wally as his eyes slid shut. He wrapped his arms around Wally’s back, pulling him flush against him to try and soak up some of the warmth and sunshine he always seemed to exude. 

Dick didn’t know how long they’d been kissing before they broke apart. Wally stared at him with wide eyes, a look of wonder shining in the green depths as his fingers stroked the skin on his cheeks. Dick giggled, high and a little hysterical and Wally grinned, pressing their foreheads together. 

“I never thought…” Dick started. 

“I always hoped that you’d…” Wally trailed off and sighed. 

“So…no other possible mates?” Dick asked, biting his lip. 

Wally’s arms wrapped around his shoulders, holding him tight. “Only you. I’ve only ever wanted you,” he breathed. 

Dick chuckled, voice breathless. “You have me. For as long as you want me, you have me.” 

“So…” a new voice drawled. 

Wally’s grip tightened around his shoulders as they whirled around to find Tim drifting closer with a smirk gracing his lips. 

“So,” he started, crossing his arms over his chest. “Are the two of you going to stick around or are you headed back to your settlement now that this has all been cleared up?” 

Dick looked at Wally, smiling fondly as his earlier surprise dissipated. He carefully unwound Wally’s arms from his shoulders and linked their fingers together, giving them a squeeze. 

“It doesn’t matter where we go as long as I’m with you,” he murmured. 

Wally squeezed his hands back. “Me neither.” 

“Well, if you do decide to go back, you’re welcome to come visit me and Jason anytime,” Tim said with a smile. “We’re always happy to have visitors.” 

Dick grinned and pressed his forehead against Wally’s, feeling happier than he had in a long time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Tumblr](http://my-one-love-is-music.tumblr.com/)
> 
> [Twitter](https://twitter.com/m_o_l_i_m)


	9. Chapter 9

“If you’re ever around, we’d be more than happy to have you for lunch,” Jason said, waves gently rippling around his shoulders where he’d waded further out into the water. 

“And you can stay the night too, if you need a little vacation from your settlement,” Tim added. “The pools are open to both of you.” 

“Thank you,” Dick said. “Thanks for letting me hang around for so long and for…” he trailed off and looked at Wally, squeezing his hand where their fingers were linked together under the water. “And for everything else.” 

“Of course,” Tim said with a nod. “I wouldn’t want the two of you to miss out on all the time you could have together.” 

Jason wrapped an arm around Tim’s shoulders and pulled him against his side, looking down at him with a fond smile gracing his lips. 

“And we won’t waste it,” Dick said with a grin. “I know it’s not as likely, but if you ever get out our way, you can come through the settlement and we’d be more than happy to show you around.” 

Tim nodded. “Of course. I don’t know how far we’d get with this big lug though,” he said, patting Jason’s chest. 

Wally snickered and Dick raised his hand to give one last wave before they ducked under the water and took off in the direction he’d come from after what felt like months, but he knew had only been a matter of days. 

They kept their fingers linked tightly together as they swam and Wally pulled his pace back so Dick wasn’t straining to keep up with his speed. Not that either of them minded. The long journey ahead didn’t seem so bad when they had each other to keep them company. 

The miles slipped away and Dick often lost himself in the bright colors dancing off Wally’s golden tail. His scales always caught the sunlight, letting him light up the ocean with his existence alone. 

Dick bit his lip as he watched him and it took Wally long to notice the look. 

“What?” he asked, smirk pulling at his lips. 

“Nothing,” Dick said, darting towards him to wrap his arms around Wally’s shoulders. 

Wally laughed and caught him around the waist, their momentum sending them spinning to the side as Dick pressed their lips together. Wally held him close as they kissed, drifting along in the water without another care in the world. 

“I’m just really happy,” Dick said when he finally pulled back. He shifted, shivering when he realized how his and Wally’s tails had become wrapped around each other, their scales rubbing together. 

Wally squeezed him a little tighter. “Are you ready to get back?” he whispered in the space between them. 

“I’m ready to be with you,” Dick murmured. 

Wally breathed a laugh and carefully unwound his tail from around Dick’s. “You’ve always had me,” he said, giving him one last kiss. “But we need to get going so we can get back to the settlement. I’d rather not have to travel at night if we don’t have to.” 

“You miss your bed that much?” Dick asked, kicking his tail to begin swimming again. 

“Not really. I’m just ready to share a bed with you,” he admitted. 

Dick swallowed, feeling his cheeks heat. He tried to ignore the surge of desire and need that spread through him. He was weak to Wally. He always had been and he always would be. 

He wanted to give him everything and make him happy and spend the rest of their years together. They could get a place at the top of the settlement that let them look over the rest of the city and into the depths of the ocean ahead of them. 

They could swim and hunt, which wouldn’t be that much different than it had before except it would be because they were doing it together and for each other. 

The fear that had driven him to start swimming in the first place and that had brought him to the island Tim and Jason shared was gone. Because now he knew his worries that he’d never be happy and would one day lose Wally meant nothing. 

Dick let go of Wally’s hand and kicked his tail, building up speed to pull ahead. He wouldn’t keep the lead long, not when Wally was such a fast swimmer. 

“Dick, what are you doing?” Wally asked, laughter ringing out into the ocean as he hurried to catch up. “Where are you going?” 

Dick grinned at him and he returned it, fighting to push himself faster as the drag of the water tried to pull him back. 

“Did you see something?” he asked, looking around. “What’s gotten into you?” 

Dick rolled onto his back and grinned, letting his tail relax so he drifted along, the water slowing his momentum. “Nothing, I’m just…really happy.” 

Wally smiled and wrapped a hand around his waist, kicking his tail to keep them moving. “So am I,” he whispered. “Now, let’s get back to the settlement so we can spend some much needed time together.” 

Dick stole one last kiss before he darted off, knowing it would only take a split-second for Wally to regain his senses and dart after him, face shining as he grinned and laughed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Tumblr](http://my-one-love-is-music.tumblr.com/)
> 
> [Twitter](https://twitter.com/m_o_l_i_m)


	10. Chapter 10

About two seconds after Wally and Dick crossed the border into the settlement, the calls started, alerting the other members of their community to their return. Dick felt a little embarrassed at the attention to their return, but kept his fingers linked securely with Wally’s between them. 

Wally squeezed his hand and gave him a smile. 

They darted past the second reef outcropping and came to a stop when Barry and Iris raced towards them. 

“Wally!” Barry cried. “Where have you been?” 

“Sorry,“ he apologized. “I had to find Dick.” 

“Why didn’t you tell us you were-” 

Barry cut himself off when Iris placed a hand on his shoulder. He looked at her and she nodded towards them, eyes locked on their joined hands. Barry followed her gaze and blinked before a smile pulled at his lips. 

“Well, I guess it’s okay. You made it back in one piece and you haven’t missed anything important,” Barry amended. 

“Would you like to come over for dinner, Dick?” Iris asked. “We were just getting ready to eat when we heard you’d returned.” 

“Yes, he would,” Wally agreed eagerly. 

Dick chuckled and grinned. “I can answer for myself you know,” he said, nudging Wally’s shoulder. 

Wally scoffed. “We both know you’d agree anyway,” he said, pulling Dick towards his family’s home. 

Dick rolled his eyes but didn’t object, settling against Wally’s side as his arm came to rest around his waist. 

“Have a seat wherever you’d like,” Barry side when they slipped through the open door to their house. 

Dick and Wally huddled together on one of the larger rocks set in a circle. Barry sat opposite them, eyes roving over them as Iris disappeared before bringing back a small basket of fish she set between them all. 

“So,” Barry asked, taking the first fish before it was passed to Iris and then Wally and Dick. “What happened that finally realized the two of you are mates?” 

Wally choked as his teeth sunk into the side of the fish. He pulled back and coughed, trying to clear the buildup from his throat. “You knew?” he asked, gaping at his uncle. 

He raised an eyebrow and nodded. “Pretty much everyone in the settlement could see it. We were just waiting to see when you two would realize it yourselves. It was kind of painful to watch actually.” 

“Aunt I?” Wally asked, looking and sounding more horrified by the second. 

She nodded. “I almost told you a few times but I didn’t want to scare you off. I knew you had your reasons for not approaching Dick and I didn’t want to make you feel bad about it.” 

“I feel like such an idiot,” Wally groaned, burying his face in his hands. 

Dick chuckled next to him and tried to nudge him to sit up. “You weren’t the only one,” he said. “We were both idiots.” 

Wally straightened and offered him a small smile that Dick returned, his blue eyes shining in the water. 

“Now when you look at each other like that, it’s hard to believe you didn’t figure it out sooner,” Barry said around a mouthful of fish. 

Dick felt himself flush and saw Wally do the same. 

“What are you planning on doing now that you’re back?” Iris said. “Are you going to get your own house? Or is it too soon to be talking about that?” she asked with a chuckle. 

Dick and Wally shared a look. The idea of sharing a space made Dick want to spin and twist and flip in happiness. “I mean…we just got back, but I wouldn’t mind getting a place together. As long as it’s not too soon…” 

Wally’s smile turned fond and he reached a hand up to tuck a strand of hair behind Dick’s hair that didn’t stay in place for more than a second before floating up in the water around his head. 

“We’ve known each other long enough,” Wally said. “Been best friends for years. I don’t think it would be too soon after all of that.” 

“Okay,” Dick said with a smile. 

“We can take you house hunting tomorrow,” Barry said, breaking into their moment easily. “I’ve heard there are some pretty nice places on the upperside of the reef lately if you’re interested in that. It would offer a very nice ocean view.” 

“Sounds great,” Wally said, grin pulling at his lips. He shuffled closer to Dick before taking a large bite out of the fish in his hand. He chewed and frowned. 

“Something wrong with the fish?” Iris asked. 

He looked at Dick who met his eyes. “This would be better cooked,” he admitted. 

Dick grinned and laughed while Iris and Barry shared a confused look. 

“Sorry…cooked?” Iris asked. 

“Don’t worry about it,” Dick said, trying to hide his grin in Wally’s shoulder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Tumblr](http://my-one-love-is-music.tumblr.com/)
> 
> [Twitter](https://twitter.com/m_o_l_i_m)

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos are loved and appreciated!
> 
> You can find me on [Tumblr](my-one-love-is-music.tumblr.com) and [Twitter](twitter.com/m_o_l_i_m)


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